Siding-gage.



E. H. SNYDER.

SIDING GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1913.

1,097,146. Patented May 19, 1914.

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PATENT onnron.

EDWIN H. SNYDER, 0F KENT CITY, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN M. HART, 0F CEDAR SPRINGS, MICHIGAN.

SIDING- GAGE.

in lieu of using dividers for spacing, and.

its objects are: First, to provide an implement with which positive distances may be assured when spacingand laylng siding.

Second, to provide an instrument that may be instantly applied or removed, and with which there can be no variance in the spacings when the instrument is once set. Third, toprovide an instrument of the kind mentioned that will not injure the surface of the siding permanently, when apply ng and using it. Fourth, to provide a siding gage with which crooked. siding may be readily straightened and secured in place so that the spacing of the siding will be uniform no matter where in the length of the siding the gages may be applied, and, fifth, to provide a siding gage upon which the siding may be placed and that will hold the siding in position regardless of the condition of the atmosphere. I attain these objects by the mechanical construction shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the implement as it is applied to practical use in laying siding. Fig. 2 is a plan of the 1m plement with the gage post removed, and, Fig. 3 shows approximately the form of the blank from which the implement is made.

, Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I prefer that this implement be made of thin sheet metal, as sheet steel, in which case the metal is blanked out to practically the form shown in Fig. 3. In this construction it is necessary to form offsets at 19 and 20 for the purpose of forming a proper pivotal point and bearing between these points, and, also, to offset the ends 1 and 2- sufiiciently to allow of the free action of the gage posts 11 between them, and to form the handles 3 and 4 in proper relative positions. I then bend the wings 7 011 the line a: a ata right angle with the head 1, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1913.

Patented May 19, 1914. Serial No. 806,633.

spurs 5 and 6, on the line a y to the desired angle with the lips 7, as indicated at 5 and 6 in Fig. 1, and form the handles practically on the lines 41 o, in Fig. 3, to practically the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and rivet the two bodies together, as at 15 in the form of a pair of pinching pliers, but with the points at the spurs far enough apart to secure a good, firm leverage when the spurs are made to engage the siding, as indicated in Fig. 1. Each of the wings 7 7 has a slot 18 through it for the passage of the post 11, which is pivotally secured to the body or jaw 2, as at 16, below the wing andpassing up through the slot 18 in both the wings, 1 and 2, so that it may be made to assume, and will be held in the position indicated in Fig. 1. This postis provided with a slot 12 for the thumb screw 1 1 that is made to pass through the body of the step 13 and through the slot 12 for the purpose of securely holding the step in any desired position on the post.

l/Vhen using this implement for laying siding the spur is forced up between the last piece of siding laid and the next preceding free passage of the piece of siding, and the spur 6 is forced into the surface of the same piece of siding, as indicated in Fig. 1, where 17 indicates several pieces of siding in position. l/Vith the gage in this position the post 11 will stand practically parallel with the surface of the siding, as indicated, and the step 13, having been previously secured in the de sired position on the post will project forward to the surface of the piece of siding to which the gage is attached thus forming a support for the lower edge of the next succeeding piece of siding to rest upon while the post 11 will form a guard to hold the siding against the danger of falling over from the studding 21. This feature greatly facilitates the laying of siding, and especially of long, and crooked siding when the wind is blowing, as with three ormore of the gages in use it will be possible to spring very crooked siding edgewise sail.- ciently to insure perfectly straight lower edges, as the gages are very firmly supported by the siding, and the close proximity of the posts, and their height renders it impossible for the wind, no matter how strongly it may blow, to displace the siding before the carpenter has been able to nail it to place.

For the purpose of insuring perfect support to the siding I pivotally secure one end of a link, 8, to the arm 3 and pass it upward over the arm a so that when the gage has been once set it may be so firmly held by this link as to render it impossible to remove it, or press it downward until the link has been removed.

9 represents a series of stops formed on the handle a to hold the link against the danger of sliding on the handle and thus releasing the gage. When the siding has been properly nailed inplace the link is removed from over the handle i and the handles are forced apart, which draws the spur 5 from between the siding, and with a gentle pressure downward on the handle 3 the spur (3 is drawn out of the siding and the clean cut made by it in the siding immediately closes so that, when painted, it is impossible to discover any blemish whatever in the siding by reason of the use of this gage.

With the use of this gage one man is able to do as much work in laying siding as two men can ordinarily do, with the great advantage that with the use of the gage pertect spacing and perfect alinement is absolutely assured, which is impossible when spacing is done with dividers and the siding is supported on nails driven into the siding, as the nails are likely to bend when attempting to straighten crooked siding, and allow the siding to be laid with the lower edge below the desired line of spacing. Again, it is very difficult to drive a nail exactly 011 the desired line, and, thus, the spacing may be varied sufiioiently to carry the fifth, sixth or seventh piece of siding laid considerably out of the desired line of spacing. Another very desirable result attained with this gage is that if the siding is very crooked it is possible to hold it firmly enough upon the end. gages to draw the longitudinal center down; to exact alinement and secure it there until it is marked for cutting to proper length,; which insures a perfect joint between the end of the siding and the casing against which it is to abut, thus insuring a perfectlyclean and close joint, which would be imoossible with the use of nails as sunorts no matter how carefully they may be placed, orhow firmly driven, within the reasonable convenience of the man laying the siding.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is 2- 1. In a siding gage, two members pivotally united to each other to form pliers, with spurs on the head ends of the pliers to engage the siding, and a gage post connected with and guided by said head portions and stop adjustably carried by said post, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a siding gage, two members made of sheet metal to torm'the heads and handles of a pair of pliers, wings formed on the heads and having slots through them, the two members pivotally connected to form pliers, spurs formed at the ends of the wings to engage the siding, a gage post pivotally secured to one head and passing through slots in both heads and provided with a longitudinal slot above the heads, a step adjustably secured to the post, and means for readily securing and adjusting said step on said post.

3. In a siding gage, two members made of sheet metal pressed to form the heads and handles of a pair of pliers, wings formed at right angles with the heads and having slots through them, spurs formed at the ends of said wings at proper angles to engage the siding and firmly secure the gage in place, the two members pivotally secured together in plier form, a gage post pivotally secured to one member and passing through slots in both members and having a longitudinal slot above the'heads of the members, a step adjusta-bly secured to said post, and a link pivotally connected with one handle and arranged to engage the other handle to hold the members firmly in place when engaging a piece of siding for the purpose specified.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, De-

cember 6, 1913.

EDWIN H. SNYDER. In presence of- J. W. HART, I. J. CILLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

